Category Archives: current events in the sky

A Look Up Between Eclipses

02 Monday May 2022

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Creator Unknown 1882 {{PD}}

We’re in that valley between eclipses, a time that always feels somehow . . . uneasy–or I should say, I always feel uneasy around this time–and maybe you do, too. To me there’s a ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ sensibility that permeates everything. So what do we see happening right now?

The first thing I see is the way Mars in Pisces is creeping up on Uranus in Taurus by sextile, catching Chiron in Aries at the midpoint–and the Sun is moving toward conjoining Uranus, bringing more and more light to the situation–no wonder I feel uneasy! Mars in Pisces may be experiencing something like trying to punch his way out of a paper bag–no matter how much energy is expended, if seems his (and our) efforts are ineffective. Or maybe you prefer the old ‘fog’ analogy–just as valid, though in this sign Mars is likely to imagine he knows exactly what he’s doing (and facing), even to believe he’s fighting for his ideals. Nope. The clue this bit about ideals isn’t so is found in the contact to Chiron–this fight is about something that hurts, personally.

The sextile suggests what we/ Mars is doing may precipitate something sudden, unexpected, that surprises the senses, alters the material situation, brings Higher Mind revelation, or changes the comfort level–and in the process, may injure the ego (Chiron in Aries), which as Chiron is currently ruled by Mars, says the ego may be on the same deluded, misguided, or massively personal quest as general Martian energy is right now. That action urge is trying to punch up, but ends up having the impetus boomerang back in our faces, hence the wound re-opened/ re-visited.

Ceres is square Neptune and Eris is sextile (and so semi-sextile Neptune). If that isn’t a recipe for women who seem to be aligned stirring each other up over misunderstandings or imagined wrongs, I don’t know what is. That’s not to say that this reaction is wrong, more like what we think is the issue or transgression isn’t really what’s bringing forward the strife. Too, Saturn is in the mix by trine to Ceres, only exacerbating our idea that we’re seeing reality clearly! Keep on the lookout for the true trigger behind any upset, and know that the deceptions we think we’re perceiving aren’t the ones that matter/ count. With Venus just having entered Aries, it’s just not the time to act out in relationship.

Sedna and Pluto are in an Earth trine and catching Jupiter in Pisces at the midpoint. Here the instincts and the real-world power situation are exaggerated, and thereby deceptive, not out of anyone’s malice, but again out of skewed perceptions. We may be, on the one hand, very optimistic, creative and inspired to the point of bursting, but also faced with the need to deal with the actual circumstances before us. Not exactly fun, but if you can be patient enough to connect the practical dots, you’ll end up with a pretty good plan–with first steps to be taken after the 25th of May. Yes, that will be during Merc retro–which may mean that good plan gets even better, with cautious re-visioning, with Merc ever helpful on the re-think in Gemini, and moving into Taurus by the 23rd, showing us how to materially implement what we’ve been contemplating.

Finally, Vesta creates the arm of a T-square with the Nodal axis, acting as a compass for life direction choices. All we need to do is ask ourselves, Does this honor what I truly care about? Am I respecting what I find sacred, with this choice? Answer that and you’ll know without question what to do.

Full Moon in Libra April 2022 Out There Vs. In Here

11 Monday Apr 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Fiskerens stue’ (Fisherman’s cottage) By Harald Sohlberg 1907 {{PD}}

The Full Moon perfects at 11:54 AM PDT of the 16th at 26 Libra 45. The first thing that jumps out is the oppositional nature of the energies, with the Full Moon culmination in Libra zeroing in on the Us vs. Them, or Me vs. The World, or Internal vs. External dynamic. It’s a face-off, but one that involves wildly mismatched viewpoints and intentions, each seen through a highly emotional or subjective lens. On the Lunar side we have the emotional or intuitive essence of We/ Us, acting from an ambition to form a more perfect real-world union (Zeus, Moon, and Earth in Libra), and this confronts or is confronted by a fighting spirit that sees interaction/ cooperation as assault, and struggles mightily to maintain the established individual identity, both out of a belief that they are right to remain separate and a desire to blame others for the aggression–though without that aggressive nature, this side of the equation would no longer be (that is, have the core identity) that makes up the current ‘I Am’ (the Sun, Eris, and Pallas in Aries). The Solar side of things fights and opposes because that’s who they believe they are, as they conceive this to be their right, while the Lunar side of things wraps their own ambitions and desires in a cloak of ‘for the good of All’. Neither side is willing to entertain the idea that their choices are Self-serving–but that’s exactly what’s needed to open the way to actually employing this Lunar event effectively.

The way to gain perspective may be found in the other aspects the Full Moon makes. It acts as apex to a loose Finger of God with base of Sedna/ Jupiter-Neptune=here we see the instinctive nature/ blind spot material collude with an overblown imagination to create that thing we think we’re doing for everyone else–and of course, part of dictating what ‘should be’ is the belief (delusion? conceit?) that we as an individual know what’s best for others (Jupiter-Neptune as the ideal social order). On a much more positive note, we could read this as the instincts instructing us on how to pursue ‘The Big Dream’, with the Lunar event signalling an awareness of who we need to cooperate with in order to fulfill ambitions.

The Full Moon is also trine a wide conjunction of Juno-Saturn in Aquarius, and is sesquiquadrate Venus in Pisces=what happens at the Full Moon carries the potential for real-world empowerment–but we must take care not to carry illusions about the costs: to relationships, to assets, and to those things that bring Love into our lives. Our final clue is in the Full Moon-Pluto square=this Cardinal conflict is combustible, if we take our actions to extremes, or if we fail to understand the potentials of destruction that are inherent to the energies of change.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘An Airplane Sails, High In The Clear Sky’. The ideals have a chance to soar–but remaining reasonable, honest with ourselves about our capacity and motives, and aware of real-world consequences, is key to ‘smooth sailing’. For the Sun the Sabian is, ‘Through Imagination A Lost Opportunity Is Regained’. Aha! The entire goal of this is re-capturing the inspiration that drives aspirations, especially those chances we believe we’ve missed–the window for something we once dreamed of opens again–be on the lookout.

Inspired or delusional, it’s up to us to decide. The spiritual, the unfathomable, the dream, beckons–how you approach it is all.

The lengths to which we’ll go to justify our own choices

The Meeting of Jupiter and Neptune April 2022 In Their Wake

10 Sunday Apr 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Jupiter in Pisces, Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction

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”Empress Maria’ In A Storm’ By Ivan Ayvazovsky 1892 {{PD}}

The conjunction of two behemoths that everyone’s waiting for perfects just after 7 AM Pacific time of the 12th. Do we have to be that specific? No, big energies push waves before them, like a vessel through water, and as well leave a big wake–that means we feel the effects both before and after they align. So, it’s likely you’re already dealing with, feeling, dodging or, even worse, trying to decipher this slippery combo. It’s my belief that examining the moment of perfection gives us a portrait (a kind of birth chart, a statement of the event) that opens our eyes to the general energies of the meeting–beyond the simple Jupiter + Neptune statement of Big Delusion, Big Creativity, Hidden Facts Revealed, Social Deception, Society’s Ideals Presented, Exaggerating or Broadcasting The Dream (or Discovering the Beliefs or Realities That Support It), The Facts Behind The Image, or The Facts Vs. What We Imagine, How What We Believe Squares With What Is Presented–I could go on, but you get my drift.

For matters where this duo’s effects might show we look to the personal chart and the House where the meeting occurs; we also look to the Houses in the natal chart these energies rule. Some or all of these areas will describe the places (the subjects through which) we as individuals will experience the conjunction. Look for two main components: something that stands out, through exaggeration, attention-grabbing, or through the ways the facts surrounding it pop forward from related circumstances, giving us a read on feasibility; and, in the way the spiritual, the ideals, the creative efforts/ ideas, and/ or places where you’ve been seeking reality, the facts, or the Truth come forward.

Or maybe I should say, where you’ve been seeking, the conjunction brings clarity and perspective–or obscures the unbendable facts–and also threatens to overblow the impacts, making us think the idea, the belief, or the deception much more vast, insurmountable, confusing, or inspired than it really is. A few points of interest: occurring in Pisces makes it all the more difficult to sort out meaning and effects in the moment; be prepared to withhold judgment until the fog clears (i.e., until we’re some distance past the event in both time and space–and by space I mean, in dealing with the House areas affected); the conjunction semi-sextiles Saturn and Eris, occupying their midpoint, while sextiling the North Node point and trining the South, with NN/ Jupiter-Neptune acting as base to a Finger of God, apex Earth in Libra=this points to material results, ones that affect our surroundings, assets, or partnerships, with effects possibly springing from the conflicts already inherent in current realities, and these are directly flowing from the past and shaping the future. Jupiter-Neptune also noviles Vesta in Aquarius on one side and Mercury in Taurus on the other=what we think we honor will be put to the test; it’s a ‘put your money where your mouth is’ situation, in some sense. Leave room to be surprised by how you really feel, but don’t be surprised (or thrown) by what it stirs up in others, including the tendency to blame or project their own upset onto you (thanks, Eris).

The result of all related circumstances may be inspiration or beliefs acted upon, accepted, or instituted before we fully understand them, and circumstances of responsibility, blame, or dedication coming to the fore. These energies are also slated to shape the life direction, and so our future–so awareness of the possibilities in how our choices could play out will be paramount to dealing with things successfully.

Enjoy your week!

New Moon 31 March 2022 The Wounded Mind

29 Tuesday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Finger of God, New Moon, Sabian Symbols, Sun/Mercury Superior Conjunction, T-Square

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‘Four Dancers’ By Edgar Degas 1899 {{PD}}

The New Moon in Aries falls at 11:24 PM PDT on the 31st, at 11 Aries 30, both Sun and Moon poised to conjoin Chiron in just hours, Mercury trailing and in less than a day slated to form Superior Conjunction (the meeting that occurs with the Sun when Mercury is direct–with Mercury gliding over Chiron to meet the Sun just as the Moon goes Void in Aries–with all of it suggesting the beautiful orchestration of the celestial bodies, and so implying meaning because their movement is so balletic–the Superior Conjunction in Aries bringing a fresh take on how we think about ourselves and our actions/ choices–but I digress). The ‘I Am’ is front and center, and we are particularly aware of either our wounds, or our Chirotic talents–and either way, we want everyone to know about them–there’s a kind of urgency, even a sense of purpose informed by the Higher Mind, behind getting our words out (semi-sextile of Uranus).

We may mistakenly think that what we’re communicating about is relationship material, giving our viewpoint, about the hurt caused by the Other (Venus semi-square NM), but we’re really talking about the repercussions of our own actions and choices, their costs and benefits, and slo-mo vetting what we want to do about them (Aries). It’s a way of using talk/ exposition/ thought/ conceptualization/ expression as a kind of mirror in which we can view, review, and gain perspective on wounded aspects of the mind, and the conclusions we’ve already drawn (which are reflected in our actions and choices), but that we’re not entirely consciously aware of, yet.

The New Moon is at the rough midpoint of the Vesta-Ceres trine, with Uranus at the Ceres-New Moon midpoint, promising revelation about how genuinely effective we are, power-wise, and how honoring our own values and principles limits or expands our personal empowerment. For those so susceptible, this may also warn of sudden reactions to environmental factors, especially in the home, in the vein of allergies, asthma, food reactions, accidents, and even power struggles, especially when symbolic (as in, asserted through demands or practices that will provoke)–and these, too, will carry messages, specifically about what may be intruding on our well-being.

New Moon energy is inception energy; things begin here, are seeded (with or without our knowledge), but even more often the Lunar event brings a dawning, a realization that feels a bit like an awakening. Emotional revelation is a predictable potential at this time each month, and we should tune our perceptions to that possibility at New Moon time. Here we see that expressed through Ceres sextile Moon-Sun-Chiron as base to a Finger of God with, of all things, Hygeia as apex. What dawns on us now is about our health or is vital to it, derived from some confluence of identity, power expression, Soul intent, emotional and intuitive perception, and hurt and/or talent (of the Chirotic gift variety).

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘A Triangularly Shaped Flight Of Wild Geese’. This prompted me to go looking for a Grand Trine that might add to the New Moon picture, but what I found just reiterated what’s already clear in the aspects: Vesta-Earth-Ceres in an Air Grand Trine that simply states the need to find balance (especially mental balance) in what we honor, our material needs and purpose (the environmental factors we require in order to realize our Soul–Sun–purpose), and effective expression of personal power–in real-world terms, being in command of our world and all that resides in it. Too, we may see something wild (or that just feels wild) take some orderly and balanced shape, allowing the concept to ‘take flight’, and so begin a journey toward success.

A few other things to note: the Nodal axis across Taurus-Scorpio creates a tight T-square with the conjunction of Saturn and Juno=our intended life direction gets a real-world reality check, as does our ability to feel empowered in our own lives; and if you have a natal placement 27 Leo to 00 Virgo, that energy is part of the base of a Finger with the current Black Moon Lilith point, apex Pluto=much depends on what natal energy is affected, but generally speaking, what’s hidden or denied is revealed, purged, destroyed, or transformed. Look to the function of the energy (for instance, if it’s Mars, we look to the Will, the sex drive, the aggressive or assertive nature, or the need to take action), as well as looking at the subjects of the House Mars rules (with Aries in, or on the cusp) for areas where this change might show.

Full Moon in Virgo 2022: A Grand Earth Affair

16 Wednesday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Fist of God, forecast, Full Moon, Grand Trine, Sabian Symbols

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‘Still Life with Cake, Lemon, Strawberries, and Glass’ By John F. Peto 1890 {{PD}}

Configurations are the focus with this Full Moon, and for once I won’t bury the lead: the Lunar culmination brings a shocking punch via a Fist of God, and an Earth Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna; all this makes the wide opposition to Neptune, and the square to the Black Moon Lilith point, seem like a cake walk. (Have you ever actually participated in a cake walk? I thought it was a phrase meaning, no more difficult than eating a piece of cake–while walking?–but then was at a fair years ago, where there was an actual cake walk–and I won a cake! And then shared it with all my friends, right there at the fair, eating with our hands–only when you’re a teenager, right?)

The Full Moon perfects at 11:18 PM PST on the 17th at 27 Virgo 40–though perhaps surprisingly, not yet Void as it pulls away from Earth/ opposition to the Sun, as at culmination it will already be forming a Grand Trine with Pluto and Sedna, which are 30 and 38 minutes ahead, respectively. This suggests a balanced state of energies–but have we considered that this doesn’t necessarily mean peaceful? Balance can mean forces that are equally matched, like the pressure each leg of a tripod applies to the others–and that’s the case here. We see the Moon-Earth in Virgo (emotions, particularly critical ones, around practicality, accountability, and results), Pluto in Capricorn (expressions of power, destruction, transformation, or change around established systems, organizations, rules, authorities, and structures, figurative or literal), and Sedna in Taurus (instinctive knowledge of material matters, what we ‘know but don’t know’, ‘blind spot’ material, especially around what is or isn’t a necessity) exerting equal ‘push’–and this may either confer a sense of stagnation, that things will never change, or find us having to choose–which things will I support, which things allow, which things try to stop? The presence of Sedna suggests, no matter the effort we expend, our judgment may be off, skewed by a POV that omits certain facts (‘blind spot’ material). That means we may be making decisions that affect our world in big ways, in physical and organizational ways, and that we may be recognizing or refusing to recognize particular authorities (including ourselves, in our own lives), based on an incomplete or distorted picture.

Then we have the Fist of God (or Thor’s Hammer), with the Full Moon apex sesquiquadrate each side of a square between Venus in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus. The punch comes from conflict between forward-thinking elements in relationships or finances, and inclinations toward keeping things the same by undermining updates, so to speak, through inciting chaos, rebellion (individually or in a group), or by refusing to present a reliable ‘face’, especially in matters of security or material need (that is, by being unreliable ourselves). This conflict creates emotional turmoil, via the actual impact on the material world (Virgo), especially in the distribution of rewards or goods (the ‘Harvest’ and accountability functions of Virgo).

Is the more forward-looking attitude ‘right’, or is it smarter to undermine what’s being labeled ‘progress’? I suppose that depends on your viewpoint; my thought is that if you balk at reforming, improving, modernizing, bringing the individual into line with group efforts, or at applying Higher Mind awareness to interactions or assets, then you need to be very clear why. Disruption and rebellion can serve a Higher Good–but too often we use these when we simply don’t want things to change, or won’t accept reality. So, an honest assessment of our own motives is in order, along with a careful examination of real-world circumstances. If there’s one thing that’s clear in the light of this Moon, it’s that real-world matters (the prominence of Earth signs) will be on the table at this time, in need of sorting and subject to our judgment of which matters are worth supporting/ pursuing.

The Virgo Full Moon’s opposition to Neptune and square to Black Moon Lilith forms a T-square that suggests the way to see clear of our illusions, to meet the creative impetus inherent in reality/ the Truth, is to be willing to face head-on those things that we or others/ the system have been ignoring, denying, or that have enraged us but which we’ve not acted upon. In its own way, this says the solution to the emotional tensions culminating at this Moon depend for resolution solely on our own ability to see reality, and our part in it, fully and completely, for what they really are.

The Sabian needs no explanation, I think: ‘A Baldheaded Man Who Has Seized Power’. The sense of this image that can apply to every one of our lives is this: the simple reason someone seizes power is because they don’t want anyone else to have any. It’s in the word ‘seize’, which tells us quite clearly it’s been grabbed, not handed over willingly. Look for the entity doing that, be totally honest with yourself about your own concerns and motives, and you’ll know exactly how to handle the days ahead.

We always look at the Sun for a Full Moon as well; its Sabian is, ‘A Fertile Garden Under The Full Moon Reveals A Variety Of Full-Grown Vegetables’. This tells us that something we ‘planted’ long ago, has, probably without our attention, reached maturity. Time for the harvest!

The Current Condition: Zelenskyy in the Role of His Life

04 Friday Mar 2022

Posted by in astrology, Astrology and History, Astrology and Identity, Current Events, current events in the sky, Finger of God, Natal Delineation, Transit Effects Explored

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{{PD}}

So here’s something I saw when researching the Moon book: it’s a compelling current transit picture for former comedian/ actor and now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I like to take a peek at newsmakers and historical figures, which can make for some time-jumping strangeness, like today, when I was examining the birth charts of Carl Jung, Napoleon I, Sharon Tate, Jean-Paul Guerlain, John McAfee, and Zelenskyy. It’s a process where I look at many more charts than I end up including in the book, but it’s always interesting, and in this case, maybe a little window into an individual who, until the present crisis, seemed to overall have been assessed as mild-mannered, a pushover, even not up to the task of running a country. The natal chart begs to differ.

Zelenskyy was born 25 January 1978 at 2 PM (Rodden rating A, from memory) in Krivoj Rog, Ukraine. This gives him an Aquarian Sun in the Whole Sign 9th House, conjoined a Venus that is just pulling away from their Superior Conjunction (that being the meeting of Sun and Venus when Venus is direct). The ideal with this man is the concept of understanding, especially others or the partner, via the intellect. Everything has to make sense, and interaction with and group effort with others (and he doesn’t shy away from being leader, when appropriate) is paramount. He moves toward the modern, the innovative, the unique, what benefits the group–he sees the value in that, accepts it as a philosophy by which to live, and strongly believes in Love as an active force in the Universe.

His 3rd House Leo Moon (making him an intuitive communicator, with feelings that support action, but also prone to not knowing if he’s thinking or feeling) touches a number of factors in the natal chart in a sort of chain-reaction way that links them all. The Moon rules the 2nd, suggesting his talent is versatility, an ability to ‘read the room’, to be a bit of a chameleon inspired by that darker side of life, those things that anger or enrage or that most are in denial of (Black Moon Lilith at 00–so highly raw and reactive–the only placement in the House). There’s also a positive sort of sensitivity, and an ability to think on his feet (good for acting/ improv and politics). Luna is semi-sextile Zeus (the feelings guide the ambitions, largely through discomfort that draws attention to needed change), sextile Pluto, ruler of 6th of duty, the everyday, job (an ability to intuit where change is needed, in order to carry out responsibilities), square Uranus, ruler of the 9th (difficulties may come from far away! The individuality may broadcast the beliefs, what he knows, in resistance to or rebellion from the conventional, and this inspires an original approach, ‘being himself’), and trine Neptune, ruler of the career and public image 10th, suggesting he has the ability to be seen as he wants to be seen, to build a career from his creativity, perhaps to mislead, confuse, or act as a screen upon which others project, as well. Moon trine Neptune is a dreamer, and an idealist, no question, with this combo uniting the 2nd and 10th, suggesting this is his core asset, and that it’s meant to ‘go public’.

So, we see a little about who he is, what he’s working with–and along comes the present situation. There are two transit pictures I’d like to mention: one is the way Saturn is just coming to his Aquarian Midheaven–it’s just over one degree from perfection, and Mercury is just separating from the same point. The Midheaven is set at the zenith of the chart, representing the highest point of the sky in relation to the place and time of birth–so also representing peak life achievement or notoriety for the individual. Where Saturn currently is in its journey around the natal chart tells us where we stand in terms of potential recognition and effectiveness of our actions in the real world. This, then, is a peak moment, one that he has been building toward for quite some time. His dream (11th) has Aries values of Self-reliance and Self-responsibility, of getting things done, and with both Eris and the South Node there, this may be a bit of a mission: acting to get away from or deal with the past, to mitigate or resolve strife.

The other interesting thing is a Finger of God, formed as Mars, Venus, Pluto, and Vesta arrive as a temporary apex to turn what is normally a simple natal sextile into a configuration base: Jupiter in Gemini in the 1st sextile Saturn in Leo in the 3rd. These base energies rule 7th and 8th (all others, open enemies, partners, and what is shared with them or contested), and suggest Zelenskyy naturally functions as a communicator and perhaps mediator with others, with his ability to show the social order (Jupiter) what the individual can do, be, or stand for (Saturn in Leo). The apex energies charge this up, collecting and focusing currents like a lightning rod, and suggesting that this normal function for Zelenskyy reaches a powerful realization point revolving around agreements to share or what is owed to whom (the four bodies are in his 8th), what change must occur (specifically what must be destroyed, resurrected, or regenerated, transforming the current condition), and that what’s sacred, to be honored, will be the measure by which this is carried out.

No matter what you think of him, he’s a player who’s found his stage and is having his moment, one that may be mission-fulfilling for him as an individual.

New Moon in Pisces March 2022 Bursting

26 Saturday Feb 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Sword’ By Alfred-Pierre Agache 1896 {{PD}}

It may feel like we’re on the verge of bursting–with optimism, with excess, with too much, with after effects of ‘the facts’, with emotion, with gratitude, with our own or others efforts, positive or not, at expansion. Sun and Moon pause to meet up just before hitting Jupiter, so that the New Moon new start is, one way or another, all out of proportion. Pisces makes us see that what we dreamed is possible–or that we are on the brink of starting something inspired, preposterous, or a little of each.

The New Moon occurs at 12 Pisces 06 on 2 March at 9:34 AM Pacific time, and everything about its aspects is unusual–or is it that ruler Neptune is playing with us? There is a Finger of God that seems not to have anything to do with the New Moon–but absolutely does. The apex is Earth, and Chiron sextiles Juno, forming the base–and so catching the New Moon at the base midpoint. Actions that wound and are driven by ego, Will, or wanting to be first (Chiron in Aries) meet issues of personal empowerment (boundaries, the right to autonomy, etc.) specifically grounded in the modern world and in modern thinking (Juno in Aquarius) and the New Moon inspires us with ways to make for a satisfactory material outcome, where fair distribution of both responsibilities and goods is achieved (Earth in Virgo).

The Lunar event is also itself sextile Uranus in Taurus, pointing up the material facets of this New Moon and promising surprises, accidents, and the unexpected will be the biggest influence. Notable is the way the stellium of Pluto, Mars, Venus, and Vesta are semi-square the New Moon, all in Capricorn. Though we might be fooled by the ‘minor’ aspect, we might be wise to pay attention to how small things can quickly evolve/ devolve (Pluto) into base struggles between what should be complementary energies (Mars and Venus). Vesta tells us that whatever disharmony occurs, it will 1) touch on what we find sacred, what we honor (which can be a trigger for all kinds of feelings), and 2) that it will seem like life and death (Pluto, messing with our heads). This will reflect real-world issues involving change to the order of things (Capricorn, Pluto) and where we might be wise to find balance, if at all possible–otherwise, righteous anger or a fear of losing what we care about (or having it or ourselves disrespected) could make for some brief but wild bouts of temper. Listen, if this occurs, because if it does it will happen around important issues and/ or with those you truly care about–and so reveal much about the fears that need addressing, and the walls that need breaking down.

One final but perhaps vital point: the New Moon is novile Eris. Discord! But we must remember, Eris doesn’t bring discord, she simply reveals what’s already there, usually tamped down or hidden under a civilized veneer. In her own way, she’s a truth-teller, and a novile is an aspect that reveals genius–in this case, what comes forth in disharmony, clashes, or fury gives us priceless insight into what’s really happening, especially if it involves one party trying to blame another, when the only supporting ‘evidence’ is the accuser’s anger. You know that old saying, that when you point the finger of blame, four are pointing back at you? Yeah, like that.

The thing we’re going to gain most from this New Moon is information, much of it extant but concealed, until Eris breaks the seal, or Pluto shakes someone’s fear or rage, or until Jupiter shows us the facts or a positive way forward. The trick is to be thankful for what we’re shown, even if it’s not as pleasant as it could be.

The Sabian symbol for the New Moon is, ‘An Ancient Sword, Used In Many Battles, Is Displayed In A Museum’. Two thoughts here: that what was once a weapon should now be put away, seen but not used, and that to forget how far we’ve come is to lose our Collective progress. What was once something formidable, awe-inspiring, even necessary for the age, is now to be put aside–that kind of savagery isn’t needed, anymore. On the personal level this likely applies to the ways in which we engage in disagreement. Don’t forget what you’ve learned, should Eris come to call.

Full Moon in Leo 2022: Let’s Go There

14 Monday Feb 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Full Moon, Grand Cross/Grand Square, Sabian Symbols

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‘The Bridle Path, White Mountains’ By Winslow Homer 1868 {{PD}}

There are a few striking things about this Full Moon, falling on February 16 at 27 Leo 59, at 8:56 AM Pacific time. One is that there are only two close aspects involving bodies: a quincunx to Pluto and a square to Sedna; there are also things happening that don’t necessarily touch the Lunar culmination, but that will definitely figure in to the atmosphere, so need to be considered; and finally, there is a configuration not all astrologers will judge as legitimate, though experience has told me I should count it: a Grand Cross with the Sun-Earth/ Moon squared by the Nodal axis (with the North Node still conjoined Sedna, though separating).

Let’s start with the planetary contacts. A Full Moon is a summing up, a pulling together of a certain emotional and feeling picture, and in Leo this is very much centered on the individual, what each of us brings to the party, so to speak, what we are a ‘shining example’ of. Talents are a focus, as are unique qualities and characteristics, and the theme may be, ‘Who am I, and what do I live for?’

The Lunar event in quincunx to Pluto suggests a breakdown, of sorts, one that wants to get beneath the curated identity presented by Leonine energies to reveal all the Truth under that pretty surface. Something will make us uncomfortable (the quincunx) and that’s our cue to dig, to look for what may have changed without our having noticed, to to search, in particular in areas where we have felt secure, or where rules and boundaries seemed to be quite solid, even permanent (Capricorn). This digging should lead to transformation, but we need to be prepared to accept that something may in the end need to be purged or destroyed–and that the leeway to choose what needs doing or how things play out may not remain in our hands.

The square to Sedna on its own implies the instincts or those things that lie in our personal ‘blind spot’ may be causing friction, obliquely pointing out tension that again, we may not have been aware of–and with Sedna conjoined the North Node, how we handle these matters will determine our life direction. Sedna is also what we ‘know but don’t know’, knowledge we have that remains below the surface–and may be the very thing that Plutonian excavation is meant to uncover.

Look to the House in the natal chart where the Full Moon falls for the ‘triggering’ event or perception, the House that holds transiting Pluto, and the natal House it rules, for clues as to where to dig/ what has changed or needs changing, and the House Sedna is now transiting (Taurus) for the nature of the information that needs bringing to light.

Other relevant influences include the conjunction of Venus and Mars in Capricorn, only one minute from perfection. They are semi-sextile Saturn and on their way to conjoin Vesta. This suggests a reality check in relationships or in interactions where complementary balance is key. Working responsibilities out for both parties in relation to their obligations to each other will lead to an effective re-dedication of energies and so a renewed commitment to what each holds sacred.

There’s also a Mercury trine to Ceres, with Pallas caught at the midpoint. The message is one that supports out personal authority–it’s meant to show us at least in part where we are most effective–and enhances personal wisdom–and yet, we may resist if what’s communicated is unpleasant, or demands much from us. That’s where the choice will lie: not in whether something should change or be eliminated, but in how we receive this information. Smart money says we process what we learn through the intellect (Mercury in Aquarius), with assessment of our own responsibility (that is, in both the ‘I did it’ sense and the ‘ability to respond’ sense), and then the courage to act on it (Pallas in Aries) the ultimate goal.

The Grand Cross gives us the large, sweeping map of where we’re headed, so let’s go there. It’s made up of the Nodal axis/ Sedna squaring Sun-Earth/ Moon, and simply points out how important understanding what we’re doing and why we’re doing it is right now, because of the way it will determine our path into the future. That’s a big trajectory determined by choices big and small, even minute–the danger is that we convince ourselves what we’re choosing now doesn’t really matter, or that shifts in the path can easily be corrected later–it will be much harder to turn the juggernaut than we think–better to aim well in the first place.

The Sabian for the Full Moon is, ‘Many Little Birds On A Limb Of A Big Tree’. The Sun’s Sabian, which we always inspect for a Full Moon scenario, is, ‘A Tree Felled And Sawed To Ensure A Supply Of Wood For The Winter’. The Moon’s Sabian is one of good weather, no danger, a Collective well-being, but the Sun’s may portray what happens after that peaceful moment. Something about where we’re ‘resting’ now needs to be dismantled, because taking it apart will insure well-being later. Cryptic, but right in line with what the planets are telling us.

Notes for 2 February 2022

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by in current events in the sky, forecast, Retrogrades + Directions

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Yes, it’ll hit the fan today, just not this kind of fan! Pontes Collection of hand fans Poderospontes 2008 {{PD}}

Have you noticed the way the sh*t’s getting stirred today? Especially this morning, Pacific time. It sent me to my ephemeris–and guess what I saw? A tense little T-square made up of an opposition between Eris and Zeus, with an arm of stationary Mercury. Ow! Eris, if you’ll recall, doesn’t bring the chaos with her, but acts as a catalyst–and opposed Zeus, she’s stirring up ambitions and desires, and maybe making us aware of how we might not get what we want–so she’s indirectly taking away hope, and you know how reactive one can become, when it seems things will never get better.

Then there’s Mercury, squatting (as much as such a fleet body can), poised to change apparent direction, and so rubbing in a sense that time has stopped, or maybe just paused. It makes the mind a receptacle for (even a victim of) our internal discord, the ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ stance, that comes when believing we’ll be denied. And that means that when we get what I’ll call ‘bad news’, we are sorely tempted to think it’s much more serious, much more a final ‘no’, than it is in reality.

Here, we woke up to a small tree in our yard cut down by the neighbor–and a ‘Golly! I didn’t know that happened’ feigned by her spouse, then a call from the plumber’s office–he wouldn’t be showing today, as he had a ‘family emergency’–but would come Friday–after Mercury’s direction the evening before (the plumber’s office didn’t note that, it’s my addition). And seemingly another leak sprung–that within an hour of discovery appeared to stop (we’re still monitoring that one).

So, if you had a morning anything like mine, here are a few tips: it’s all more transitory than it seems–things are ‘in the works’, though probably not yet in motion, which is appropriate to the end of a Merc retro cycle. Remind yourself that this is not the time to draw conclusions about the success or feasibility of your ambitions and desires–we definitely lack perspective right now. And look for common themes in what occurs; for us it’s been leaks/ water, suggesting emotions that are pushing out and need to be expressed.

Today through about the 6th the Sun and Saturn are close; that can give the reality picture a too-intense aura, making what is and what surrounds, supports, keeps us safe, or has authority over us feel much too harsh. And adding to the general kerfuffle is the sextile between Mars and Jupiter. Temper is overblown, optimism drives efforts, aggressive and ego energies are exaggerated in both expression and perception, and ‘too much’ may be the demand. If you’re having trouble sorting it, use this easy rule: if you think you need more/ bigger/ better, you don’t! It’s not that you shouldn’t have more, but that right now we’re prevented from perceiving clearly what it is we really do have–so until our vision clears (Friday) take it slow. Remember that liminal points, as bodies prepare to change direction, can create a great deal of pressure, and push us to do what we otherwise might not, in calmer times.

New Moon in Aquarius 31 January 2022 Time and Tide

28 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, forecast, New Moon, Sabian Symbols

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‘Low Tide’ By Avery F. Johnson {{PD}}

What’s your first thought, as the New Moon forms just in the lee of Saturn? And I say ‘thought’, rather than ‘feeling’, deliberately, even though we might expect the information to come in feeling form; that’s in part because Aquarius is the sign of Higher Mind, and in part because Saturn, which both Moon and Sun will conjoin soon after their meeting, is the ancient ruler of Aquarius. They’re in his territory, a place that Saturn relates to in a primordial, ancient roots way, and their post-New Moon meeting with him will be the key to what happens at the New Moon–take notes, so you’re ready for the manifestation, the barrier, the delay, the detour, or the sense of rock-solid surety that will come, appearing through Higher Mind, through the group and especially your place in it, through innovation, invention, and the imposition of ‘the modern’ on existing realities.

The New Moon arrives at 9:45 PM PST of the 31st, Moon and Sun meeting at 12 Aquarius 19. The Lunar event forms very few aspects, and they’re all past perfection, aside from the approaching conjunction with Saturn, suggesting that the New Moon new start is more of a cumulative build-up than a single moment; with the Saturn contact being the only future one, we can guess that as the Moon hits Saturn we’ll feel the emotional reaction to the built-up energies, then as the Sun hits a couple days later, we’ll see precisely the effects it has all had on our world. In Aquarius this likely involves shifts in the Zeitgeist that turn our attention with what feels like turns in the tides of time and development; the ‘new’ thing takes on prominence, brings responses from groups (and often entails individuals leaving, taking a leadership role, or joining, so that the group itself takes on a new form), shows us the inevitability of some life factor (likely something ruled by Saturn or sitting in Aquarius or Capricorn or related to their Houses in the natal chart), shows us what time and/ or rules or delays have resulted in, and may alter our personal relationship to authorities or ‘the system’. We might rebel, we might take action to stand out from the crowd, we might present something original to our milieu, but no matter what, our response will be singularly ours, even if this is part of or in response to a group.

The past aspects include a sextile to Chiron, as the arm of a T-square with the Uranus-Hygeia opposition, and receding contacts of a semi-square to Pallas in Pisces and a semi-sextile to Vesta, which also happens to be very close to a stationary Venus in Capricorn (Saturn again!) Now, I only pay attention to Hygeia when it announces its presence, as it does here, alerting us to the Lunar ‘statement’ on accidents, surprises, and shocks, and their effects on our well-being. The sextile to Chiron lets us know that the focus may come in an area we feel we’ve recently made healing progress in, or in a wound we’ve lately been trying to address. The Pallas contact says we may not have handled things in the near past in as wise or skillful a way as we could, and the Vesta-Venus contact suggests the recent Venus retro period has helped us re-evaluate where we want to invest our energies, and into what–and so links the New Moon to this adjustment to values and what we honor in our lives in a deep way, one that affects our relationships, finances, and expenditures of time and Love.

With this New Moon, we’ll in some way be required to recognize the effects of time and tide, the way the waters of simply being alive have shaped us. We’ll become acutely aware of the minutes (or hours, or years) passage and the inevitable shifts to the larger social order–and we’ll have to recognize the ways in which those larger currents shifting in the outer have made incursions on our inner world, especially on our own Higher Mind. Our attitudes toward our most unique traits may also come into focus, and we may see just how accepting we actually are of our own need to be responsive, flexible, and to honor our own most original ideas. This period may be particularly challenging for those who resist the idea of responsibilities or obligations; those who define freedom as doing whatever they want may be in for a shock.

The New Moon Sabian is, ‘A Barometer’. Yes! We are taking measure, through a particularly Aquarian lens, but one that requires we bring our observations and conclusions down to earth; barometers measure air pressure and its changes, a perfect illustration for the Air of Aquarius, and pointing to the way the sign’s Fixed nature may resist what the New Moon reveals.

And a note on the Dark of the Moon leading up to this New Moon: lay low, don’t expect too much from yourself, those around you, or the environment. It’s a time for introspection, with all energies having a natural tendency to turn inward. Rest, recover, and don’t require accomplishment right now–even if you complete something, it may have an underwhelming quality that requires a fresh look and approach later–so save your strength.